The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1887-06-16
BOSTON.
A Scandal Involving Some of the
Best Families In the
City.
Young Ladies Who Posed for
Photographs of Scantlly
Draped Figures.

BosToN, June H.. Elmer Chckering, photo
grapher, who was arrested recently for printing
and selling indecent photographs, decided TO offer
no defense, and after examination of the witnesses
for the prosecution, the case was referred To the
grand jury. Peculiar interest Is felt In the case
and IL is due TO the fact that Chickerlng is widely
known and has for his custom rs the most prom
iuent families of Back Bay. The whole trouble
grew out of his having taken photographs of some
ii ty young ladies of Boeton's wealthest families,
in costumes scarcely more elaborate than those in
which the figure In some of the famous pictures In
the Paris saloons are draped
The craze for full length photographs, In
scanty attic, fret seized hold upon half a dozen
young society bellies, who resided on Common
ing's studio, In many graceful attituGes. Some
pictures were taken eingly after the style of Greek
goddesses, and, more particularly, Venus
rising from the sea- while others were large
sized groups in imitation of "the nymphs at the
bath" and other famous works of art. The
Young women preferred not to reveal their
identity and gave the name Of ser
wants at their home, where they desired the proofs
sent In several cases envelops containing proofs
of pho ographs were returned TO MIR. Chickering
with the postoffice memorandum that no such a
person lived at a number given.
In these cases young ladies' called at the studio,
subsequently,, and blushingly explained in conf
dence what the trouble wac. Three weeks age
Mr. Chickering very narrowly escaped exposure
when a letter accidentally fell into
| the hands of anunspicous parent, who failed tC
recognize his daughters graceful figure. The old
gentleman SAID notnlng Dut lald IL away IN nlt
desk for his own personal edi6catiou, apd hi;
| daughter secured IT,
A collection of pictures of these young ladies
would certainly come within the provision OF
Anthony Comstock'e Interpretation of law but the
young women claim that the sense of art would see
nothing immodest In them. They had them taken
together for their own benefit and for the admira
| ton of few friends, and had no suspicion that
| they would ever be seen outside of very select
circle. The prospect of their photographs being
| produced in court and put on file
as evidence so thoroughly alarmed
them that they succeeded In having them sup
pressed and whatever the developments in the case
may be, their names will probably never be known.
As a compromise photographs OF some unknoW n
Young woman have be- offered In eviden'e Q as a
sample, and others have disappeared. such a
| pow erful influence was brought TO bear by the
friends of the young devotees of art that the
Boston newspapers did not publish word of the
| case.
| When Chickering was arrested and first taken
into court on last Tuesday, and the facts being out
one paper published the story yesterday. Chick
ering refused TO give the names of the young ladies'
| He said: 81 have made no admission and no de-
nias, and don't mean to. III the grand jury should
bring in an indictment, have very good defens'
without telling anything about my patrons anC
pictures. 1t is case of blackmail by my old fore
man, who printed pictures and was discharged 70
incomptency. l can show this, and that 10 all
| naad A dD ~